1 week Ago By Aaron Fentress
Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant exited the season disappointed in his performance but pleased with the team’s success. “Definitely, a down season,” he said. “It’s been better.
Figuring things out. But the team came together. Did what we were supposed to and won a lot more games.
” Moving forward, the question is, how does Grant fit into the team’s future? Blazers general manager Joe Cronin faces a good problem of having three starting-caliber forwards. “I think that’s something me and Joe (Cronin), and agents, are gonna talk about,” Grant said. “Don’t really know.
But open to whatever it is.” Grant, 31, was acquired in 2022 to help Damian Lillard win in Rip City. A year later, Lillard was traded, leaving Grant as one of the team’s top players.
He played well during a 21-61 season, shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.2% from three-point range while averaging 21.
0 points per game. This past season, however, his numbers dipped to 37.3% from the field and 36.
5% from three-point range, scoring 14.4 points per game. But the Blazers went 36-46.
Grant pointed to roster changes, tweaks to the offense and having to make adjustments for his down season. Meanwhile, forwards Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija shined, making Grant seemingly more expendable. Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, however, didn’t see things that way.
He blamed Grant’s drop in shooting efficiency on the offensive scheme. The primary issue was reducing overall mind-range shots, which Billups called Grant’s “comfort shot.” “We tried to make a concerted effort to minimize those shots all year,” Billups said.
“So, I was really on him the whole time about not taking those shots. Well, that’s the shot that he’s known for the last six or seven years. And even though he’s a really good three-point shooter, those shots get him comfortable to make the threes.
So, a lot of his struggles had a lot to do with me and what we were trying to do.” At the defensive end, however, Billups said Grant continued to shine and was a big part of the team’s turnaround in the second half of the season. “When we went on that run, I thought some of the most important situations we had there were just being able to put Toumani and Jerami on their best two players, and that gave us all we needed on that end of the floor,” Billups said.
“So, his numbers were down from an offensive standpoint, but I thought defensively, he had a big-time year.” Grant has three years remaining on his contract worth $102.6 million with a player option in year three.
The Blazers could seek to trade Grant. If not, a forward trio of Grant, Camara, and Avdija could coexist with 96 minutes available. Depth never hurts.
Also, Grant could find winning with a lesser role palatable. “I think it was a lot more difficult when we weren’t winning,” Grant said. “So, looking at where we are now, starting to win, or trying to, I like the direction we’re headed.
So, definitely open to whatever it might be. Just conversations we will have in this offseason.” -- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.
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